Commonwealth 185 accident near Sacramento, California, June 17, 1989
On June 17, 1989 at about 11:43 pm local time, a Commonwealth 185, registered N92827, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Sacramento Exec. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE THE FUEL LOAD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1989 · about 11:43 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Sacramento Exec. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Commonwealth 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N92827 · registry record · serial 1623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION DURING CRUISE ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE INTENDED DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT LANDED ON A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH A FENCE. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD 'NEVER BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETELY TRUST THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS,' AND, THAT VISUAL CHECKS OF THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT ACCURATE DUE TO THE GROUND ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE USED A SYSTEM OF FUEL USAGE CALCULATION VERSUS AMOUNT OF FUEL LOADED ONBOARD TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANKS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT USED A FUEL DIP STICK DEVICE TO QUANTIFY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANKS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,902 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 4,769 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,017 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 1989; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O22 Columbia CA at 10:40 pm
- Destination: SAC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,503 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:44 pm from SAC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N92827 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX89LA220.